Watch Little Dorrit Episode One Again Online

For any readers who missed the premiere of episode one of Masterpiece Classic’s Little Dorrit on Sunday, you can view with streaming video on the Little Dorrit official website on the PBS website. It is turning out to be the mystery/bonnet drama of the season, so don’t miss it. Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam is engaging to watch, and Claire Foy as Amy Dorrit is endearing.

You can visit the official PBS Little Dorrit website for additional information on the characters, episode synopsis, cast interviews, and reflections by scholars on the original novel and its author Charles Dickens.

Further Little Dorrit Reviews & Resources

Little Dorrit Recap and Review of Episode One – Austenprose
Little Dorrit: "Money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give." – Remotely Connected
Little Dorrit: The Character of Flora and How She Resembles Charles Dickens' First Love - Jane Austen's World
Little Dorrit on PBS – Scott D. Parker
Little Dorrit (I) - The Little Professor
Little Dorrit Episode 1 - The Egalitarian Bookworm
Little Dorrit Part I - Cake and Ale
Little Dorrit Screencaps Episode I - Enchanted Serenity of Period Films

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Who is the most insufferable?

Last week's throwdown was almost a character assassination, in which you preferred the Meryton Assembly over the Crown Inn Ball by a wide margin. This week we concentrate on two individuals who do NOT warm the cockles of our hearts: two haughty and rich spinsters who have yet to attract a man despite their fine connections and upbringing. Our question this week is

Which woman is the most insufferable?

Caroline Bingley, Pride and Prejudice

Charles Bingley's younger sister is rich, snobbish and attractive, but not particularly talented or smart. Feeling superior in every way to the Bennet sisters, she cannot understand Mr. Darcy's attraction to Elizabeth and disparages her at every opportunity. Her father's money comes from trade, but in an age when great fortunes matter almost as much as connections and breeding, the Bingleys move among the social elite. She will bring to her husband an impressive marriage portion, as well as her insufferable pride. As two-faced as they come, she pretends to like Jane while secretly undermining her relationship with Bingley, who she hopes will marry Georgiana Darcy.

Elizabeth Elliot, Persuasion

Elizabeth Elliot comes from good breeding and her family is mentioned in Debrett's Baronatege, but her father has squandered the family fortune. A striking woman, well-connected, and her father's hostess, she possesses a high opinion of herself, lording it over her younger sisters. Like her father, she is vain and primarily concerned with keeping up appearances and associating with the right sort of people. Nearing thirty, haughty Elizabeth is staring spinsterhood in the face, for no one except William Elliot (who has rejected her) is of high enough birth to suit her taste.

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Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Most Insufferable

Caroline Bingley Elizabeth Elliot

Little Dorrit Quiz

How much do you know about the plot and characters of Little Dorrit? A new film adaptation with screenplay by Andrew Davies is being aired by PBS in five installments on Sunday nights from March 29th - April 26th. Those who missed the original airing can see the old episodes at this link.


This quiz asks trivia questions about the novel. It might be interesting to take the quiz before and after you have seen the series. I got 21 questions out of 25 right not bad for only seeing the film.

Get Ready for Little Dorrit on Masterpiece: Preview of Matthew Macfadyen as Arthur Clennam

British actor Matthew Macfadyen stars as Arthur Clennam in the new BBC/WGBH miniseries of Charles Dickens Little Dorrit premiering on Sunday, March 29th on PBS. Macfadyen plays a mysterious figure whose return from overseas is prompted by his dying father's last wish, completely transforming the lives of the Dorrit’s.

The charismatic leading actor, who has gained a huge following on the small screen as Tom in Spooks and on the big screen as Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice 2005 with Keira Knightley, says he had no hesitation in accepting the role of Arthur. Here is an interview from the BBC press office.

"This story really blew my hair back," he grins.

"Then when the rest of the casting came through, I couldn't believe my luck. I've been in some sexy casts in my time, but nothing quite like this!"

Matthew, who has also starred in The Way We Live Now, The Project and Warriors, goes on to outline the role.

"It's quite a challenge playing Arthur. At first, I was worried that he's merely the glue that sticks this story together."

"I didn't want him to be drippy or overly passive or always on the back foot. There's always a concern as an actor that you'll be boring unless your character is swinging from a chandelier."


"But once I got into the part, I realised that Arthur is really quite sympathetic."

As it went on, "I discovered him to be richer and richer. He's got genuine depth."

"He's getting on a bit and he's still suffering the after-effects of his awful lonely upbringing at the hands of his terrible mother and father. He's emotionally bereft, and I think people will really feel for him."

Matthew reckons that "audiences will also be intrigued by the mystery element to his story. His father has given him a watch which has this strange message inside and Arthur feels a family responsibility to solve it. It's an old-fashioned whodunit, and it's frightfully intriguing."

As the title indicates, at the heart of the piece is a deeply moving relationship between Arthur and Little Dorrit (Claire Foy).

"That relationship is lovely," Matthew beams.

"It's very poignantly drawn and so true to life about male-female relations. He has no clue that the person who loves him is standing right in front of him."


"Audiences will be shouting at the screen, 'come on, Arthur, you twit! Open your eyes!'"

Matthew relished his scenes with Claire.

"She's totally brilliant. It's a huge task for anyone, but for her to pull it off on her first or second job out of drama school is just amazing. She's also completely down to earth. She's very good news."

The actor was equally excited about appearing opposite one of his idols, Sir Tom Courtenay, who plays Amy's father.

"I did a fair bit with Tom. You can learn so much from watching him - he's an actor to his fingertips. I loved working with him."

"In fact, this whole project has been bliss!"


In addition to the very talented and easy to look at Mr. Macfadyen, Little Dorrit includes a huge cast of exceptional British actors who have also stared in other Jane Austen adaptations such as Judy Parfitt as his stoney mother Mrs. Clennam (Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice 1980), James Fleet as Frederick Dorrit (John Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility 1995), Ruth Jones as Flora Finching (Bates’ maid in Emma 1996), Jason Watkins (Rev. Clarke in Miss Austen Regrets 2008), Robert Hardy as Tite Barnacle (Sir John Middleton in Sense and Sensibility 1995), and Harriet Walter as Mrs. Gowan (Fanny Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility 1995).

This sprawling miniseries airing over the next five Sundays on PBS is based on Charles Dickens classic novel Little Dorrit and has been adapted by Andrew Davies who also brought us many Jane Austen adaptations: Pride and Prejudice 1995, Emma 1996, Northanger Abbey 2007, and Sense and Sensibility 2008. It is a riveting mystery/drama/romance set in 1820’s London which will keep you on the edge of your seat, and feed your need for an engaging bonnet drama. Don’t miss it.

Check out these other great resources for Little Dorrit

Masterpiece Classic official Little Dorrit website
Little Dorrit Cast and crew interviews
Little Dorrit episode synopsis
Information on author Charles Dickens
My contribution on Remotely Connected: Little Dorrit: Money can only give happiness where there is nothing else to give

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

The Zombies Are Coming! The Zombies Are Coming!

We all know that a zombie's favorite meal is brains. In Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Lizzy and the Bennet family do everything in their power to keep zombies from INDULGING their ravenous appetites for living flesh.

My question to you as we await the reviews of this book on April 1st is:

What do vegetarian zombies eat?

Grains! Hah!

Click on image to enlarge it and read some of the text. Click here to listen to an NPR podcast about this publishing phenomenon.

Click here to vote in our Zombie poll: Will you read the book or not?

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Seen on the Blogosphere

Idgie wearing The Mathematical is a photo not to be missed.



The dog is wearing a cravat tied in The Mathematical as a result of an assignment that student Jessica posted on her Costume History Page. It looks to be quite accurate, according to The Necklothitania, a satirical 1818 pamphlet about cravats. The description is as follows:

The Mathematical
The Mathematical Tie (or Triangular Tie), is far less severe than the former. There are three creases in it. One coming down from under each ear, till it meets the kust or bow of the neckcloth, and a third in an horizontal direction, stretching from one of the side indentures to the other. The height, that is how far, or near the chin is left to the wearers pleasure. This tie does not occassion many accidents.The colour best suited to it, is called couleur de la cuisse d’une nymphe emue.’

I hope that for their trouble, Jessica and Idgie received an "A".

Read everything you wanted to know about cravats and more in this post on Jane Austen's World.

Bride and Prejudice To Air on Ovation

Ovation, the Arts Network, is rapidly becoming my favorite cable channel. Bride and Prejudice, the Bollywood version of Jane Austen's classic, will be shown on Friday 27th March at 8:00pm EDT.
If you liked Bend it Like Beckham, then you will like this film by the same director, Gurinder Chada. If you loved the musical ending of Slumdog Millionaire, then you will love the musical numbers in this film. Martin Henderson is a yummy Mr. Darcy and Aishwarya Rai is a breathtakingly beautiful Lalita (Lizzy). Read a fine synopsis of the movie here.

The Bakshi (Bennet) Sisters

Jaya (Jane) and her Mr. Bingley

Mr.Wickham and Mr. Kohli (Collins)

The Bakshi (Bennet) Family

Darcy and Lalita

View one of the musical numbers in this clip - No Life Without Wife

Lost in Austen Screencaps

Angelfish Icons features Lost in Austen screencaps from all four episodes. Obtain beautiful images like these from the site. Just make sure to credit them.

Matthew MacFadyen & Sonnet 29

Matthew MacFadyen returns to the small screen as Arthur Clennam in Little Dorrit, to be shown in 5 installments on PBS's Masterpiece Classic starting March 29. He has been quite busy since his turn as Mr. Darcy in 2005, starring in Ashes to Ashes, Death At a Funeral (a quirky comedy which will be remade into an American film soon), and Frost/Nixon. Click here to read our reviews of Little Dorrit.

In this YouTube clip, hear Matthew's marvelously unforgettable voice as he recites Shakespeare's Sonnet #29, one of three poems he recorded for a DVD.



In this last clip, hear Rufus Wainwright sing the words to Sonnet #29 to scenes from Pride and Prejudice 2005.

Jane Austen at Washington and Lee

Lucky Washington and Lee alumni have an opportunity this July to sign up for a full week of Jane Austen immersion in the beautiful setting of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.The World of Jane Austen: A Truth Universally Acknowledged - And Stuff is scheduled for July 19-24, 2009.

In this Alumni College program, Marc Conner and Theresa Braunschneider from the English department, Pam Simpson from art history, and Taylor Sanders from history will focus on two of Austen's greatest novels, Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, along with an investigation into the history and culture of her period. They'll also discuss several recent film versions of her work, all in an effort to appreciate the writer who has so brilliantly described, in the narrow space of her six novels, the range and depth of the English character.

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Preview for Masterpiece's Little Dorrit

The Tales of Charles Dickens continues on Masterpiece Classic as a new five-part miniseries of Little Dorrit premiers on Sunday, March 29th at 9:00 pm and continues for the next four Sundays through April 26th on PBS. (check your local listings) This new BBC production aired in the UK last year to strong reviews. Like most of Charles Dickens works, it contains a huge cast of memorable characters. You can read the complete list of the cast at the PBS Little Dorrit website, along with a complete synopsis of each five episodes.

Vic's Reviews of the Series:

• Little Dorrit and Bankruptcy

• Little Dorrit and PBS Masterpiece Classic

• Little Dorrit and the Grand Tour

• Little Dorrit: The Father of the Marshalsea

• Little Dorrit: The Character of Flora and How She Resembles Charles Dickens' First Love
  

From the PBS press release

One of Charles Dickens’ greatest love stories also has the timely theme of chronic debt and financial collapse. Adapted by screenwriter extraordinaire Andrew Davies (“Bleak House,” “Pride and Prejudice”), the five-part miniseries stars Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley) as hero Arthur Clennam, newcomer Claire Foy as Amy “Little” Dorrit and Tom Courtenay (The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner) as her father, who has been incarcerated for 25 years for insolvency. Scores of other great actors appear in this moving tale that was particularly close to Dickens’ heart, since his own father did time in debtor’s prison.

Don't forget to mark you calendars, or set your Tivo's & DVR's. This is the costume drama of the season to watch! Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

Ovation Channel is Showing Lost in Austen Tonight & Tomorrow

Run don't walk to your nearest Ovation channel and watch the first two Lost in Austen episodes starting at 8 p.m. EST tonight, and episodes 3 & 4 tomorrow night (3-23-09). If you missed them (again) read -

• my reviews of the series on Jane Austen's World,
• and the reviews on Austenprose.
• Here's a video of Lost in Austen Behind the Scenes
  

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World

Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Assembly Ball I'd Like to Attend

Last week's throwdown was one of our closest, with your votes often tallying 50-50. Your choice depended on whether you preferred a racy two-seater carriage or a larger carriage to squire more people about. This week you are asked to consider which assembly ball you'd prefer to attend: the Meryton Assembly where Jane meets Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy snubs Elizabeth, or the ball arranged by Frank Churchill and Emma Woodhouse at the Crown Inn, and where Mr. Knightley acquited himself well with Harriet Smith. As Mr. Knightley told Emma, "Fine dancing, I believe, like virtue, must be its own reward." The following two descriptions are in Jane Austen's own words:

Assembly Ball I'd Like to Attend

The Meryton Assembly, Pride and Prejudice

"The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, and she had been distinguished by his sisters. Jane was as much gratified by this as her mother could be, though in a quieter way. Elizabeth felt Jane's pleasure. Mary had heard herself mentioned to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in the neighbourhood; and Catherine and Lydia had been fortunate enough to be never without partners, which was all that they had yet learnt to care for at a ball. "

The Crown Inn Ball, Emma

"The ball proceeded pleasantly. The anxious cares, the incessant attentions of Mrs. Weston, were not thrown away. Every body seemed happy; and the praise of being a delightful ball, which is seldom bestowed till after a ball has ceased to be, was repeatedly given in the very beginning of the existence of this. Of very important, very recordable events, it was not more productive than such meetings usually are."

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Jane Austen Character Throwdown: Assembly Ball I'd Attend

Meryton Assembly Ball Crown Inn Ball

Oh, Goodie! A Jane Austen Poll

Jane Austen's World asks today: Which Jane Austen novel would you recommend your significant male other to read first? Inquiring minds want to know!

Lost in Austen Makes a Splash Downunder

Lost in Austen premiered on ABC1 in Australia on March 8th to solid reviews and ratings, concluding on March 15th. Graeme Blundell a "caddish disbeliever" of Austen novels and a reporter for the Australian was converted.

"I loved this show and laughed out loud many times, even though I have only a passing acquaintance with the characters on which it is based. (Though I've developed a a secret yearning for fine britches, high polished boots, long riding coats and big hats during the past few years of watching Austen TV.)"

This time twisted Pride and Prejudice parody first aired on ITV in the UK in September 2008 and has gradually made its way across the pond to Canada, the US, then south to New Zealand, and now downunder. Its appreciation seems to be growing as I see more chat about it online and Internet surfers land on my blog Austenprose in droves from search engines.

Honestly, who would have guessed? My hunch is that the male cast had a lot to do with it. If Elliot Cowan had been concerned about stepping into Colin Firth's big boots as Mr. Darcy, it did not show. He brings his own penetrating style and refined attraction to Jane Austen's hero. My only puzzlement is in his disappearance from the scene. There is little to be found about him online, even since the 2008 premiere. If an actor accepts such an iconic role, and does it so convincingly, he has created a public personae, which if he was paying attention, are quite eager to learn about his new projects. Its called publicity. It can make or break a career. If he is trying to parallel the brooding, enigmatic Mr. Darcy, he is doing a great job.

Check out who is ahead in the ultimate Mr. Darcy poll. I am not surprised by number one, but number two might raise a few eyebrows!

Further reading

Episode reviews Austenprose
Episode reviews Jane Austen's World
A definite fan view Stuck in a Book
Unofficial site Elliot Cowan Fanbase
More fan stuff Lost in Austen Fansite
Watch Lost in Austen online at Blinkx
Pre-order Lost in Austen DVD and save 46%

Cheers, Laurel Ann, Austenprose

St. Mary's Berry Church Bells Will Ring Soon Again

In September we reported that St. Mary's, Berry Pomeroy church bells had been condemned. Viewers heard the bells ring during Colonel Brandon's wedding to Marianne in Sense and Sensibility, 1995.

The eight bells, some of which date from 1553, were banned by an architect for being too dangerous. Work to restore them at a foundry in Leicester took six months and cost £45,000.

Re-installing the bells inside the church is expected to take until the end of April, when a special bell ringing service is planned to celebrate their return.

• Read more about the restoration at Bells Are Back at Austen Church.

• Read: The Wedding Procession in Sense and Sensibility